Junior rugby is part of the rhythm of a New Zealand winter. The little ones start with Rippa rugby, the older grades play weight- or age-restricted rugby on Saturday mornings from April to August, and the season ends with club prizegiving in the clubrooms: team photos on the wall, cups for player of the year and most improved, a sausage sizzle out the back and a few words from the coach. A video of the season makes a good night better.
Rugby photos are lively but uneven. The wingers and the kid who scored the try collect all the attention, while the front row and locks spend the season inside rucks and scrums with their faces hidden. A video that leaves out the forwards misses the heart of the team, so it pays to plan.
A rugby winter in order
Registration and first trainings
Send the link to families once the team list is settled. Training on a fine evening is a good time to get a photo of every child holding a ball.
The first Saturday
Ask families to upload that afternoon, including the haka or team chant if your team does one, and the line-up for three cheers afterwards.
The July school holidays
During the break, look at the coverage list. Front-rowers and locks are usually short; a reminder that names them goes to the team chat.
End-of-season tournament
Many clubs finish with a tournament or a festival day. Remind families to capture the team between games and at the medal presentation.
Ten days before prizegiving
Stop collecting a few days before the evening and watch the first cut.
Steps for a rugby team
Paste names and fixed jersey numbers
If players keep the same jersey all season, add numbers next to their names. The number on the back is often the only clear identifier in a photo from the touchline.
Mark consent from the club
Clubs record photo consent at registration. Flag any child without it before you share the link; their photos stay hidden and out of the video.
Photograph the set pieces
Scrums and lineouts are when forwards are still and in view. Ask a parent to take a few at every set piece in the first half.
Tag the whole pack
A photo of a maul can include eight players. Parents can tag everyone they recognise, so forwards catch up quickly.
Name the tournament chapter and export
Saturdays and tournaments become chapters, bursts are grouped, and every player reaches the same minimum. Rename the festival chapter and export.
Rugby photo tips
Stand on the touchline about ten metres in from the try line to catch players running towards you. For Rippa, crouch down to child height; photos taken from adult height look down at the tops of heads. After a try, keep the camera up for three more seconds, because the team hugs and high fives that follow are better than the try. Muddy days produce the most memorable photos, so tell parents not to hold back on a wet Saturday. And the post-match line-up for the opposition's three cheers is one of the few moments every player faces the camera.
Moments from a Kiwi rugby season
New Zealand junior rugby comes with traditions worth keeping in the video. Many clubs hold a jersey presentation at the start of the season, where each child receives their jersey from a senior player or a coach. Some teams perform a haka or a team chant before kick-off; photos from the side, with the opposition watching respectfully, are striking. The oranges at half time, the sausage sizzle after the game and the trip to watch a provincial or Super Rugby match together make relaxed chapters. On a muddy day, the team photo with every jersey brown is one families will keep for years.
How long should a prizegiving video be?
Junior rugby teams have 18 to 25 players. With three appearances each and team photos, allow four to four and a half minutes. If the club plays a video for every grade at prizegiving, ask each team to keep to three minutes.
How many photos do I need?Photos to collect for your team size and video length.The Pitch style suits rugby with bold titles and stripes. Players moving on to college rugby can be marked as leavers for a tribute at the end.
Prizegiving checklist
At the clubrooms
- Check whether the clubrooms' TV takes a laptop or a USB stick directly.
- Order the grades' videos to match the order of the cups.
- Play the video before the team's cups and certificates.
- Ask the captain to lead the team's chant after the video.
- Share the private link with families the next day.
Privacy and safeguarding
Faces are never scanned or recognised. Children are matched to photos by the tags their families add and the numbers on their jersey. Only first names are stored, location data is removed on the phone before upload, the season’s link is private and never appears in search engines, and anything inappropriate for a youth sports setting is hidden automatically. Any parent can report a photo, and the organiser has the final say on every photo in the video.
Rugby questions
Can our Rippa group make a video?
Yes. A Rippa group is a season like any other; paste the children's first names and share the link with families.
Can the coaches' photos be included?
Yes. Coaches can upload as supporters and tag players in each photo or in batches.
Can we include our team's haka?
Yes. Photos of the team performing it make a strong opening chapter.
Our team changed weight grades midway. Is that a problem?
No. It is still the same group of players, so one season covers the whole winter.